June Mead
National 4-H Council, in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, has recognized five exemplary 4-H programs with the 2008 4-H Families Count: Family Strengthening Award. The programs were selected by 4-H for their ability to improve outcomes for rural, disadvantaged families by fostering the social network, economic opportunities, and the support that families need to be successful.
The award-winning programs were recognized at the annual National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) during the Galaxy III Conference in Indianapolis, IN. As project director and evaluator for the Community Improvement Through Youth (CITY) Project, June P. Mead, Dept. of Human Development, received the first $10,000, and will receive the remaining $5,000 after sharing best practices relating to their programs with others in the Cooperative Extension System. The five winners of the $15,000 awards are:
• CITY Project, Cornell University
• Diverse Youth-Adult Partnerships, University of Nebraska
• Project GIFT, Rutgers University
• 4-H Tech Wizards, Oregon State University
• The Family Fitness Program, Penn State
“4-H connects families to programs and resources to help them grow stronger,” said National 4 H Council President and CEO Donald T. Floyd, Jr. “With the 4-H Families Count: Family Strengthening Awards, 4 H is able to reach families that often find themselves isolated from opportunities and support systems to help secure their children’s futures.”
To qualify for the award, each program must be a Program of Distinction—part of a collection of programs that reflect the high quality of 4-H youth development programs occurring in communities across the United States, supported by the 4-H system partners and coordinated through National 4 H Headquarters at the USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES).
Further Information
See the Program of Distinction listing for the CITY Project
